The Life of a Mentor
by Theuglyduckling492
Summary: Magnolia Chase is a mentor for the 68th Hunger Games. Last year she mentored, but it didn't go so well. Will she succeed this year or will her tribute, Daisy, die in the effort?
1. Chapter 1

**Rated T because it's the Hunger Games**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games**

I woke up and stared at the ceiling. This was it. The reaping. I was a mentor for the second time. Last time, I had been a little excited. I was positive I could bring one of my tributes back home. But being in the arena is different from being in the control room. The girl didn't even make it past the bloodbath. She went straight in acting like a career. She didn't end up like one. I hope the tributes this year have some brains.

The 68th Hunger Games. I mentored last year, but I won the 64th. I guess I needed some time to recover from my games, like watching the 65th and 66th on television made a difference. That's why I mentor now. So maybe somehow, I can help some unfortunate kid make it through.

I live in District 11. I'm 20 years old. I won my Hunger Games when I was 17. I will never forget the horror of my Hunger Games. "You up, Maggie?" Chaff says, banging on my door and using my nickname, short for Magnolia. He's mentoring with me this year. "Yeah!" I call from inside. "Well, you better start getting ready, because we don't get none of those pretty stylists for Reaping Day," he continues. "I'll be out soon," I promise.

After I shower, get dressed, and do my hair and makeup, I head to my porch. Nobody's out in the Victor's Village. I head over to the square. It's packed as always. They haven't started yet though, so I run up the stage stairs and sit next to Chaff. Seeder is sitting on his other side and our one other living victor is next to her. Chaff and I are the only ones mentoring this year. I hope we can get our victor count up to five.

The district escort, Silvie, walks up to the stage. She's from the capital, so she's pretty stupid, but she's pleasant enough to talk to. She was the escort for my Games. Too soon, the Peacekeepers block the stairways and someone signals us to start.

Silvie starts talking about how excited she is, then the mayor makes his speech. Silvie walks over to the bowl of girl's names. My tribute. "Daisy Queens." I look out into the group of kids. A girl steps out from the fifteen year section. She looks strong enough. And she hasn't fainted, so that's a plus. Silvie calls the boy, a frail twelve year old named Quinton. The tributes shake hands and head to the visiting rooms.

_Not bad_, I think, _not bad at all._

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	2. The Tributes

**Hey! I'll give you chapters pretty frequently at least until it gets interesting, so you won't give up on it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games.**

Chaff and I make our way to the train. We head to the dining area to wait for the tributes. "You've got a good shot this year," Chaff says to me. "Yeah," I say, "She's got a good chance of making it home." The tributes walk in then, Quinton's face was tearstained, but Daisy looked okay. I stand up. "Hi. I can show you your room, then it'll be about time for dinner." Daisy follows me.

After we go to the next train car, Daisy stops me. "Magnolia Chase," she says, "I'm honored. I know it's a horrible thing to go into the Hunger Games, but you're so gorgeous! I have a picture of you in my room." "Wow. Thanks! But you can call me Maggie," I say. Daisy beams, "I never wanted to come here obviously, but since I had to, I'm so glad you're my mentor!" I lead her to her room and show her how to work the shower. "It's pretty confusing," I finish, "But the Avoxes probably have a paper with all the button meanings on it."

"Maggie, I know we had kind of a weird start, but it's just so horrible and I wanted something nice to hold onto," Daisy apologizes. "Don't worry about it," I say, "I'm pretty easy going." Daisy hugs me. "Thanks."

As I walk away from her room, I swear to myself. Mentors aren't supposed to be attached to tributes! If she dies, I won't be able to force myself to mentor again. Then, kids might die when I can help them! At least I know she won't have to worry about Quinton. No offense to him, but only one tribute can survive.

I find Chaff in the bar car. "Met your tribute?" I ask. "Yeah," he says, "No chance. Absolutely none. He's gotten every sickness there is and he's allergic to everything." "You've got to try at least," I say. Chaff looks down. "You got _me_ out," I continue. "Well you were a different issue!" Chaff yells, "At least you were ready to try!"

I nod. "I'm going to go find Silvie." Silvie is waiting in the dining car. She jumps up when she sees me. "Finally! No one was here, I was starting to be worried." I laugh. "Don't worry, we're just showing them around." Silvie rushes off to bring the tributes. I laugh to myself again. Silvie has a really anxious, jittery personality. I remember my Hunger Games when my district partner refused to do anything. He died in the bloodbath. We were supposed to be allies.

I shake it off. No thinking about my Games. I have to help Daisy out of hers. Daisy and Quinton are bustled in by Silvie. I start roaring with laughter when I see the look of Silvie's face when Quinton yanks her hand off his shirt. "I can walk," he says angrily. _Well there you go, Chaff,_ I think, _At least he's got some spunk. _We sit down to eat the glorious capital food. It's the only thing I gained from the Hunger Games.

Chaff starts to talk about strategy, but I cut him off. "Not yet. Let's talk about something pleasant. What's your favorite thing at home, Daisy?" "My kitchen," she says, "I love baking things then giving them to my baby brother. His second birthday is next week." I smile. We all begin talking more, but my heart aches for Daisy. She wouldn't be home for her brother's second birthday, but I'll take it on myself to make sure she sees him again.

After we eat dinner, we crowd into the sitting room to watch the replay of the Reaping. The careers are all volunteers, huge and muscular, even the girls, but they have that beauty that gets them sponsors. None of the outer districts seem to be huge threats, but many aren't easy to pick off. We head off to bed and I remember the horror of my Games.

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	3. Chariots and Remembering

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**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.**

The next morning, we're pretty quiet. Nobody answers my random questions. Silvie tries her own conversations but can't seem to get a spark of interest. After what feels like years, the train goes dark and we're in the capital. The people crowd around the tracks and wave up at the windows. Quinton doesn't bother getting up, but Daisy is smart enough to wave.

There's no screech of wheels as the smooth capital train glides to a stop, but there are plenty of camera's clicking to make up for the missing sound. We lead them through the roped off area to the training center. Daisy poses for most of the cameras, but Quinton just hunches over and ignores them. I sigh. I'm glad I'm mentoring Daisy.

We go into a corridor to the right of the lobby. The doors on our right are labeled B1-B12 and the left has G1-G12. I lead Daisy down to G11 where her prep team waits for her. "Just do whatever they want you to do," I murmur in her ear as I leave.

I walk to the glass elevator. I don't know where Chaff has gone, so I ride up alone. The speed of it still shocks me, but it's so fun. When I walk into the District 11 room, it's empty. I go back to the elevator so I can ride it again. I press the lobby button but regret it when I look down. Finnick Odair is walking out of the stylist hall and towards the elevators. I half hope he'll find another one, but we arrive at the same time.

The doors open and I smile sheepishly at him. "Hi Maggie," he says. "Hey Finnick," I say. Finnick's only sixteen years old. At his age, I was still innocent. He strokes my face, "Just reaching your prime, I see." I knock his hand away. "You say that like you're older than me." "No," he says, "I'm even younger than my tribute. He's eighteen." "Oh, well good luck with him, I guess," I say. "I don't know," he says, "You're girl is pretty threatening. Beautiful and strong. Isn't that really what the capital wants? That's obviously why we each got an edge at our Hunger Games." The elevator dings. We're at floor 11. "I guess I forgot to hit the button," Finnick says, "Well nice talking to you." "Yeah," I say, "See you later." The doors close.

I go to my room and order some food. I'm not really hungry, but it's kind of boring when the tributes aren't here. I get a magazine. It's pretty old, from last year's Games. I flip through the bios of all the tributes until the page on the District 11 girl.

_Ursula Karma_

_girl; District 11_

_Ursula was drawn at the 67th Reaping. Her District partner is Helios Knowles (see page 27). She has dark skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. Ursula has one sister, Kiki, and two brothers, Vilencio and Lucius. She is fourteen years old. Her mentor is Magnolia Chase, victor of the 64th Hunger Games. _

_Caesar Flickerman says, "Truly a charming young lady. I wish her all the best."_

_Magnolia Chase says, "Ursula is a strong girl with a big personality. She can use her personality to make it through the Games, but it could be her fatal flaw." _

_And fatal flaw it was! Ursula was a career at heart... too bad she didn't actually join them! Ursula was killed Day 1 by a fatal wound from a spear. The spear wielder was Jerome Igneous from District 4 (see page 9). _

_Kills: 1; Hannah Umbridge, District 3, Day 1._

I feel bad for Ursula. I know she was stupid, but I'm slapped with realization after seeing her picture. The tall, dark figure with long lashes that curl up in a young but feminine way, standing with her weight on one side as if she were too busy to be photographed. I feel like I failed her.

There's a knock at the door. Silvie says it's time to go see them off for chariots. I rip out Ursula's magazine page, stuff it in my pocket, and rush to the elevators where Chaff and Silvie stand waiting.

We ride down and find Quinton wearing oversized green overalls. Daisy has on a green dress with different crops on it. It's figure flattering and I can't help mentally thanking her stylist as the stylist walks around her, fixing the slight flaws. This will make it much easier to get sponsors.

The chariot rides are normal, but the thing that catches my eye is District 4. Usually glamorous, their shabby fishing suits must be driving Finnick off the wall. Especially because of the multiple possibilities there are with this attractive pair. I smile. Maybe finding sponsors really will be easier.

When the chariots begin their final circuit, we rush into the training center lobby. I catch a glimpse of Daisy and start gushing praise. We walk into an elevator with just the two of us. "What if I don't make it through the first day?" Daisy asks suddenly. I'm surprised by her question, and as I feel the glossy magazine page in my pocket, I say, "I'll give you instructions. Do whatever you can to follow them and I'll try to help you if I can. You _will_ make it home to your brother." The doors slide open and we say no more.

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	4. Sponsors

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**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.**

At breakfast the next morning, Chaff explains what we're doing. The tributes are going to their first day of training while Chaff and I try to find sponsors.

Their stylists come to give them outfits and Chaff and I head out. The capital is a really amazing city to walk around, but today, we have business to take care of. There are a couple ways to get sponsors. They can come to us (sometimes people want to be able to say they sponsored the victor), we can test our luck on the streets, or the most effective, we can go to sponsor locations.

There are a couple gift shops with Hunger Games merchandise and cafes that richer people go to. We can walk around and make our tributes sound better. It helps that we're victors, people think of us as celebrities in the capital. Sometimes we even get people to type their name and amount of money in our electronic clipboards. We can check the amount of sponsor money on the clipboards or on the screen in the mentor rooms. (The mentor rooms are small hotel rooms. We have a bed and a mouthpiece to order food. There are also ten screens. One shows the amount of sponsor money. One shows things we can buy and send to our tributes, we also send things from this screen. One shows our tribute, it turns off when our tribute is dead. Three show whatever tributes we want, but we can't talk to our tribute, so we can't warn them about predators. The last four we can use to communicate with mentors of tributes allied with our tributes.)

Chaff and I walk into one of the more popular cafes. We're the only mentors there and it's easy to get conversations with rich citizens. The only issue is that nothing has really happened yet. People don't know anything about our tributes. I walk over to two old men sitting at a table.

"Hello," I say.

"Magnolia Chase! Great to see you," the first says.

"Yes, glad you're here to talk to us," the second says.

"It's really an honor," the first says. They're stumbling over each other to talk to me. This might actually be easy.

"I'm glad you're here," I say, "My tribute, Daisy, is a really great girl and I think she has a chance. She does need sponsors, though, and I hope you're willing to be her first two!"

This stops them up. Nobody is really willing to sponsor right after the chariots, especially for the outer districts.

"Well," the first begins.

"I'll sponsor her if you're her mentor. The money will go to good use. Some mentors don't use it, so they get it after the Games," the second jumps in.

"That's true, but I'd rather keep the tribute than the money," I say.

"Classic Magnolia Chase!" the first says. They happily sign their name with their money.

I try my luck with a few other people, but no one else seems so eager. Responsibility only goes so far, I guess. We'll try somewhere else tomorrow and hopefully, the training scores will attract more people.

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	5. Training Scores and an Extra Buck

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**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games.**

We continue on our search for sponsors but are pretty unsuccessful. We do it half-heartedly, waiting for the training scores. Finally, the private session day comes. Quinton and Daisy go down early like usual. Chaff and I lounge around. It's been almost the whole day when Quinton comes in to sit in his usual spot.

"How'd you do?" Chaff asks.

"I did some pattern stuff and survival skills, but they weren't really paying attention. As I was leaving, one of them said I wouldn't make it through the bloodbath. I think he meant to whisper it, but they were all pretty drunk when I came in. It doesn't matter though. I know he's right."

"Quinton," I start.

"I can't fight! Even if I run away from the bloodbath, I can't survive unless I have some sort of weapon or rope or food."

Chaff sighs, "You give up on yourself too easily. I have no hope of getting you out if you don't want to even try."

"I do, I just-"

"No, you don't. Anyone who thinks they have the slightest chance would be asking for survival tips, not pitying themselves."

"Chaff-"

"No, Maggie. It's true and we all know it."

Daisy walks in and we start talking about her session. Soon, the TV flicks on and we turn our attention to it.

"Hello. For those of you who don't know, I'm Caesar Flickerman. Tonight, we will be revealing the scores of our 24 tributes."

The faces start popping up one by one. Quinton's comes up with a flashing 4. Well, it's not like he had any spunk, I really can't blame them.

Daisy comes up with a flashing 9. "Good job, Daisy!" I say. My mind immediately goes into sponsor mode. I'm going out tonight. Daisy and Quinton go to bed.

"Chaff, let's get sponsors tonight."

"Tonight? I'd rather have a long drink and a soft bed."

"After the scores, sponsors will be squirming to sponsor."

"Not Quinton. A four won't do it. Go out for Daisy, you could get some money for that girl."

"You won't even try?"

"No."

I sigh but head to the elevators. I'm a little nervous. It's late and there will be a lot of drunk old men. When I get to the lobby, I'm almost happy to see Finnick.

"Hello, Magnolia."

"Hey, Finnick."

"Going out for sponsors?"

"Yep. You guessed it, you should be on a game show."

"What can I say?"

"You can say, 'I'm leaving you to your business.'"

"But I can escort you. There will be many drunk old men out there."

I think for a moment. That's actually exactly what I was thinking. Maybe he can read minds. Doubtful. We're probably just both right.

"Okay," I say grudgingly, "You can come with me."

"Good. My life accomplishment."

"Ha ha. You're _so _funny."

We walk out to the square. There are swarms of people everywhere. I wouldn't be able to get anywhere if I were a regular citizen, but the crowd parts wherever Finnick and I walk.

Sure enough, there are a _lot_ of drunk old men. They're all jeering at me and I'm grateful for Finnick. Of course, all the women are drifting towards him and glaring at me. Whatever. Women won't usually sponsor my tributes anyway. They're generally smart enough to bet on the inner districts.

But this year, Daisy will win. They're the stupid ones this year. There are picnic benches full of drunk men and that's where I head. They're all disgusting of course, but they won't even remember they sponsored by the morning.

"Argh! Who's a-that... coming... our way," gargled one of the men.

"Well, I'll be! It's Magnolia Chase!" a slightly sober one said.

"Hi," I say with my most seductive smile, "I came for sponsors, but it's really a lost cause."

"No, darling. Come with us and we'll sponsor any tributes you want."

"Well, my tribute, Daisy, she's really good and she got a great training score, but nobody really sponsors the outer districts."

"Let me sign off a little cash. My treat," a man said.

The clipboard is passed around and I rack up quite a lot of money for Daisy. On a spur of the moment thing I say, "You know Chaff, the other mentor from my district? Well, he's a little sick, so he couldn't come out tonight. I was wondering if you'd give his tribute a little money."

"Well sure, darling. Whatever you say." The same slightly sober one signs his name for Quinton, but the rest have gone back to drinking. Well, I got something anyway. We walk around more and I get a couple more sponsors for Daisy, but sponsoring Quinton is really generous.

On the way back to the hotel, women thrust themselves at Finnick, insisting that he knows them. I feel kind of bad. He's only sixteen after all. Maybe he is attractive, but give the poor kid a break.

"Hey!" I yell at one of them, "We have to get an early start in the morning. Leave him alone."

The woman glares at me and struts away.

"C'mon, Finnick," I say.

We walk back to the training center. In the lobby, he turns to me. "Thanks, Maggie. These people really drive me crazy."

"Sure thing. I got your back, Finnick. We're just kids anyway. They can't really blame us for making friends."

In the room, I go over to Chaff.

"I got a lot of sponsors. I even managed to get one for Quinton."

"Thanks, kid. I'll give the leftovers to Daisy."

"Stop assuming he's going to die. Maybe he'll make it. Maybe he's smart."

"We'll see."

I sigh. There is really no convincing this man.

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

There's a beam of light directly over my eyes. I turn away and stare directly at my alarm clock. I'm three hours late. It's 11:00 already. Today was a sleep in day, but not this late! I still have to help Daisy with posture and personality in time for the interviews tonight.

I leap out of bed and into the shower. By the time I'm heading for the dining room, it's lunchtime.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Chaff grunts.

I manage a laugh. "I was just seeing if you'd notice."

"I noticed! Chaff said you got me a sponsor yesterday!" Quinton says excitedly. I'm surprised. I don't think I've heard Quinton get excited about anything before.

"I did. I was out and I managed to get one."

"They just don't know what I can do. If they just wait," Quinton continues determinedly.

_Uh oh, _I think,_ I really don't want to get attached to this kid._ I zone out to avoid it.

"What do you think, Maggie?" Daisy asks.

"Huh?"

She laughs, "Just checking to see if you were paying attention."

Why are these kids too likable? Do they want me to fall apart when at least one of them dies? Just like with Ursula...

**After this story, I'm writing a SYOT story. It's called the 100th Hunger Games. If you've interested, please check it out or submit a tribute. Details on my page. Thanks!**

**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	7. Too many connections

**Hey! Sorry it's been a while. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

After lunch, I have to help Daisy with interview tactics. She's actually really good with manners, so I move on to personality.

"Let's pretend I'm Caesar," I say.

"You need colorful hair," she giggles.

"Maybe that's your personality! You're score was too high to be fragile schoolgirl, but just be yourself. You're really likable, so just play up the cheerful, fun personality a bit and you've got yourself a great interview!"

"But I'm nervous. What if I say something wrong? Everything you say is just right. I don't know if I can do that."

"Trust me. You're the perfect personality for saying everything right."

Daisy smiles at me. I smile back without hesitating. I need to stop getting close to Quinton. I don't know how I'd cope with losing Daisy.

I lead her down to her stylist. "The interviews will be super important for survival. Remember to do whatever your stylist tells you to do," I say as we approach the door.

"I'll try as hard as I can," Daisy promises.

When I get back to our floor, an avox hands me a phone.

"Hello?" I say into the receiver.

"Maggie? How are you doing?"

It's my sister, Lucy. "Lucy? I'm fine, what's going on?"

"I'm just calling to ask if Daisy will win."

I'm surprised. Why is Lucy calling me to ask about Daisy? Lucy is about 20 years older than me. She has a son, Sam, who's 15. Just like Daisy. Oh no, please don't have any relation. Please please please no.

"I think she has the capability, but why are you asking me?"

"She and Sam are dating."

I curse under my breath. How is it possible that we didn't get a tribute without some connection? There are so many kids in District 11!

Lucy seems to notice my silence and says, "Don't let her die."

The phone clicks as she hangs up and I hand it to the waiting avox. Why is everything so difficult?

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	8. First Kiss

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

A few hours later, I walk backstage with Chaff. We walk over to our tributes. Quinton is wearing a pale blue suit and he looks really nice, but Daisy outshines him.

Daisy's dress is pure white, really complimenting her dark skin. She wears a headband the same color. The entire outfit has hot pink gems studded into it. The gems form a border at the bottom of her dress and sleeves. There's another solid line of gems at her waist, forming a dazzling belt. Her headband has gems scattered across it.

"You look stunning!" I say.

"Do I really?" Daisy asks.

"Absolutely."

"Thanks." Daisy's cheeks turn even pinker than her stylist has made them.

"Tributes, line up!" a capital man says as he walks through, "Mentors, to your seats."

"This is it, Daisy. Good luck." I squeeze her hand and follow Chaff to our reserved seats in the audience.

I look up and see Caesar come onstage with his grass green hair. He starts with District 1, as usual. Most of the tributes are boring. By the time he gets to Daisy, I feel like I'm about to fall asleep. She does well. She's spunky and memorable. But then they ask about boyfriends.

"Do you have anyone special at home? A boyfriend, maybe?" Caesar asks.

"I do. I have a boyfriend, Sam."

"Tell us about Sam."

"He's wonderful. And he's kind of related to the Games."

"In what way?"

"His aunt. She was in the Hunger Games. And she won. And her name is Magnolia Chase."

"Well, doesn't that make things interesting?" Caesar laughs.

The cameras point to me, but I stare up at the stage, avoiding emotions. Daisy's buzzer goes off. Quinton comes up and does his interview, but it's not interesting at all. I ache for Quinton and Chaff, knowing this lowers his chances of getting sponsors.

The interviews end and I walk backstage to congratulate Daisy.

"I'm sorry, Maggie. I just said what was real, I didn't know what else to do. Now, they'll-"

"Shh, Daisy. Don't worry about it. You were great! If anything, the audience loves you more."

Daisy hugs me, then walks over to talk to her stylist. Everyone is crowded around Daisy and Quinton. Suddenly, someone drags my waist and pulls me into a closet. I start to say something, but everyone is with their tributes and no one sees me. It's a man, some capital man. He presses his lips against mine. I try to scream, to hit him, to get up. Something. But he keeps me pushed against the wall in the dark closet.

"You're my pretty little victor," he whispers in my ear. I take the opportunity of his lips off mine to scream.

"Help! Someone! Chaff, please!"

"Shut up!" He slaps me, then continues kissing me.

Obviously, no one heard me. I hear people leaving, congratulated their tributes as they go. I feel like a goner. Suddenly light fills the closet as someone opens the door. The man is pulled off me and I look up to thank my savior.

It surprises me, because it's Finnick. "Thank you," I whisper. The capital man is knocked out on the floor. Finnick just picks me up and carries me to the door.

"Do you think you can walk?" he asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Even so, Finnick stays with me until we get to my floor in the training center.

"Thank you, again," I say.

"It was nothing. You needed it."

"That's a glorious way to remember my first kiss."

"Your first kiss? Aren't you 20?"

"Yes. I just kind of... I don't know... stopped trusting people after my Games."

Finnick nods. "How would you like to have a real first kiss?"

"What do you mean?"

Finnick laughs, "I mean this."

He pulls me towards him and kisses me, gently but passionately.

"But that will be the only time we kiss," Finnick says, "Let's just say more would... frustrate President Snow."

I start to ask what he means, but the elevator doors open and I have to leave. I go straight to bed, not really sure what to think.

**I just want to clarify, this is before Annie's games, so Finnick doesn't really know her yet. I'm a full Annie/Finnick supporter.**

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	9. Down to Business

**Hey! Sorry it's been a while. Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

Silvie pounds on my door the next morning. "Up up up! You need to say goodbye to your tributes!"

My heart sinks. After everything last night, I'd forgotten that this is it. Time for the Games.

I go out and say goodbye to Quinton, wishing him luck. But then I say goodbye to Daisy. The stylists go with the tributes to the Launch Room. This is my last chance. I give her tips. "Remember, you need food and water. Do NOT go into the bloodbath. Get some things around the cornucopia, but don't go too deep. Even careers die in that. Don't trust anyone completely, not even Quinton. Do what you should do. Don't push yourself so hard you have nothing left if you need it. Most importantly, don't make yourself a big threat. Lay low, survive until you really need to go out and fight."

"Thank you, Maggie. Remember, we'll go home together."

"I'll send you parachutes whenever I can, but only if you really need it."

We hug and she follows Silvie down the elevator towards the hovercraft. She has to win this.

Chaff and I go to the mentor rooms. "Well, I guess that's it," I say. Chaff nods and we step through our separate doors. The doors each have _District 11_ on them in gold. I look around and see the same old room from last year.

There's a twin bed against the wall. The eight screens are above the computer that is set up on a desk. A spinning desk chair is next to it, but I've long outgrown the childhood fun of spinning. The mouthpiece to order food is next to the bed. A small table with one chair sits on the other side of the room. The door to the bathroom is next to it. The bathroom has a toilet, a sink, a bathtub, and a shower. And this is where I'll stay until the Games are over.

I'm allowed to leave and try to get sponsors, but by the time the Games begin, mentors usually don't leave their screen unless their tribute has an ally. It doesn't really matter though, because people start betting and they'll send in sponsor money that I can accept or deny on the computer.

I pull the crumpled magazine page out of my pocket. I tape it to the side of my computer, so Ursula will be on my mind. There are already sponsor requests, so I accept them. Then I decide to take a nap while I still have time, but I set my computer to wake me up ten minutes before the Games start.

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**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	10. The Bloodbath

**Sorry it's been a while.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

*Beep Beep* *Beep Beep*

I groan as I lean up to look at my computer. 10 minutes before the count down. I go wash my face to wake me up. After the cold water splashes against my skin a couple times, I'm awake and ready for business.

I take my spot at my computer and accept the few sponsor requests that have appeared there. Nothing to do now but wait for the countdown. I turn on the screen that will too soon show Daisy, but all there is, is static. Even the mentors aren't allowed to know about the arena yet.

I watch the minutes tick away, but I don't get tired. I'm all nerves now. 1 minute left. I sneak a glance at Ursula's picture and urgency overwhelms me. I will help Daisy win this.

The computer beeps again and the screen becomes clear. I see an empty pedestal without a center. It's surely rising with my precious tribute on it. I see the arena. It's the ruins of a city. The cornucopia seems surprisingly empty. It's still full of weapons and survival instruments, don't get me wrong, but it just seems a little different.

Daisy rises with her pedestal and I see her look of confusion as she looks around her. She's trying to figure out how to play this. There's a small backpack right in front of her, but it's still a little farther away than I would advise her to try for.

The minute countdown begins and I take in the other tributes. About 20 seconds left on the clock. Suddenly, a tiny little boy tribute I've never noticed before trips off his pedestal and starts an explosion.

I look at my virtual list of dead tributes and see that he is the District 8 male.

The other tributes look confused and a little frightened by the first death. The explosion is still going on when the gong goes off. None off the tributes hear it but Daisy. She races towards the backpack and takes off. I set one of the screens to the bloodbath as I watch Daisy make her watch through the destroyed bits of the town and into the section where the buildings are less destroyed.

I look at the bloodbath, but no one seems to have noticed or cared about her absence. This is one of the times where I'm grateful that people tend to forget about District 11. The killing goes on until everyone is gone except the careers. All of them are fine of course. They're pretty much invincible for the first few days.

The careers clear off to let the hovercraft collect the bodies. Other than the boy who jumped, nine people have died. I look at the dead and see who's died. The girl from 3, the boy from 5, both from 6, the boy from 7, the girl from 9, both from 10, and the boy from 12. 10 tributes dead. 13 to go. 1 to come home. And I pray that 1 will be Daisy.

Speaking of Daisy, she's found an old building to hide in about 3 and a half miles from the cornucopia. I look at a tribute map and see no one is around her. In fact, no one is within a mile of her. Obviously, the boy from 8 has helped her and I silently thank him.

In her building, Daisy has started unpacking her backpack. She has a flashlight, a warm hat, a bottle of water (filled, thankfully), a box of matches, a small knife, a sleeping bag, and two bags of dried fruit. I wonder about the warmer items, because so far, the sun has been shining and many of the tributes have taken their coats off. They were given heavy clothing, but most tributes had shed it and left it behind as they ran. Daisy took hers off as well, but she was smart enough to stuff it in her backpack.

Daisy goes into a closet with her belongings and drifts off to sleep. I praise her for hiding a little more before she lets her guard down.

**Make sure to review!**

**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	11. Strategy

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

I think about sleeping, but even though it's night in the arena, I'm wide awake here. I set the screens to random tributes, but I make sure one screen is on a career.

Most tributes are finding little nooks and crannies to hide in. The careers are doing their usual hunt around the arena. Currently, they're not finding anyone.

But something draws my attention to a different tribute. Quinton is hiding right next to them. He's being his usual unnoticeable self, so the careers don't see him.

When the careers have walked by completely oblivious, I realize this could be his way of winning the Games. Suddenly, Quinton leaps up and dashes to the careers. He stabs the closest one in the back and takes off as the cannon fires. The remaining careers turn around but are shocked by their ally lying dead on the ground. Quinton turns the corner around a building before they come to their senses.

The career had been the District 1 male.

"Who did this?" one of the girls screeches.

"Emmy, calm down," one of the other girls soothes her.

"Calm down? _Calm down?_ How dare you tell me to calm down when my district partner has died? Don't even call me Emmy at a time like this. I'm Emerald and I'm out to kill," Emerald says. The way she says it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, even though I'm not in the arena.

"It's all right," one of the boys says, "We'll help you find whoever did this."

"You better, or so help me, I'll slit every one of your throats," Emerald says. No one rises up against her; there's no group idea to murder her on the spot. I guess she's the career leader.

I keep the camera on the careers, but they've gone back to hunting. Daisy sleeps peacefully, and Quinton has found a new place to hide.

I take this opportunity to call Chaff. I pull him up on the fellow mentor screen.

"Did you see that?" I ask excitedly.

"Yeah, I saw it. That boy's got potential."

"He killed a _career_, Chaff! And they didn't even see who did it."

"Like I said, he's got potential. But in a finale, he won't have a chance to stab and run."

"Then give him a long distance weapon while they're still cheap and he has time to practice with it."

"That's not a bad idea, Maggie. Do you remember anything he was slightly good at?"

"I hate to admit it, but no. He didn't tell us anything. Frankly, I thought there was no way he could survive up until now. I had faith he'd be smart enough to avoid the bloodbath, but I didn't think he'd be able to kill people."

"He's a smart kid."

"Just get him a slingshot, but give him something fatal to shoot at people."

"Not a bad idea. Not bad at all."

"Hey, Chaff?"

"Yeah, Maggie?"

"Why do you think they were given so many warm clothes when it seems so hot?"

"Maybe to confuse them, maybe for a real reason."

Chaff clicks off his screen and as I can tell later, he went to give Quinton the slingshot and some pebbles that look like normal pebbles, but when shot, they lodge themselves in their target and explode.

Daisy is just waking up. She leaves her backpack in the closet, but she puts on her warm coat and grabs her knife, water bottle, and flashlight.

She goes outside where a small stream splashes playfully. Daisy fishes for a while and is really successful. She fills her water bottle and carries her things inside.

Daisy puts down the water bottle, but she grabs the box of matches. She closes the door of her closet and walks outside. She finds a small pebble that she puts on top of the doorway. Smart of her, so she can find her way back.

She walks about a mile then goes into a house. She cooks the fish, but as she leaves she notices something in the corner. It's a loaf of bread. At first I get nervous that some other tribute left it there like Daisy left her things. If they did, they could come back any second.

I look at the arena map and see that not only is there no one near her, but no tribute has been in this building.

Daisy gets her knife at the ready and goes into the next house. She finds an empty backpack. Daisy puts her things into the backpack but keeps her knife out.

She continues through houses and by the time she leaves, she has a bounty of food and supplies, enough to last the whole Games. Daisy goes back to her little house and puts everything in the closet. I notice that, though she got a lot of food and supplies, she didn't find weapons.

It makes sense why the cornucopia was less filled, but I can't figure out why the capital wouldn't supply more weapons. Maybe the careers picked through the houses and got the weapons, but they wouldn't leave the food behind.

Either way, I decide to send her a little gift. She won't need supplies or food for quite a while. How did she get her 9? What did she do? I rack my brain, trying to remember. Knives? Knives! That was it.

I type in box of various throwing knives. It pops up immediately, exactly what she needs. But it's too expensive. I accept all the sponsor requests, but I'm still a little short of money.

Daisy makes her way inside and sits on the floor of the building. I have to do this now. Before it gets more expensive.

I walk outside and see interviewers everywhere. I almost make it away before they're all over me.

"How is it knowing your tribute is in the final 13?"

"What are your honest opinions about Daisy?"

"Will District 11 have this year's victor?"

"Currently I will make no comment. I need to find sponsors, excuse me."

"Are you going to send Daisy anything?"

"Last time we check, she had plenty of bounty. How do you feel about that?"

I push through them and make it to a sponsor cafe. Most are sitting impatiently at tables, ready to give away their money. A couple are over in a corner, desperately offering money to a different mentor.

I sit down at an empty table and at least five sponsors flock to me. I go on about Daisy's bounty and how she is very skilled and how if they'll just please give her money, I'll give her weapons and she'll win.

I'm so busy signing people onto my list that I don't see the other mentor come up behind me.

"Hey, Maggie," he says as he pulls up a chair.

"Finnick! I'm surprised to see you here. I figured you'd have people lined up at your door to sponsor a career."

"Not anymore than they would for that little survivor of yours, Daisy."

"How're your tributes doing?"

"Pretty well. Blindly hunting down your other tribute, even though they don't know it."

"Quinton surprised all of us with that."

"It was a smart move. How've you been doing?"

"I've been better, but I've also been worse I guess."

"I'll leave you to your work. But may the odds be ever in your favor."

"Bye, Finnick."

"Bye Maggie."

I head back to my mentor room. I've got enough money to send Daisy her knives, but I realize I have a lot extra now. I decide to send her a lock for her closet (on the inside of course) and some batteries for her flashlight.

They all fall down in the same parachute. Daisy goes outside to get it and she's overjoyed at the contents. She take all of it into her closet and locks the door. She wraps herself in her sleeping bag and goes to sleep.

I look at one of my tribute screens and see that Quinton has been smart enough to keep his warm clothes. He's put most of them on and he's hiding inside a building.

In another tribute's hiding place, I see some white stuck in her hair. I look out the window and see that it's starting to snow.

The careers who were hunting people down have surrendered to a building, bringing only a few warm things and some food.

I crawl into bed, knowing nothing important is going on.

**Thank you so much for being devoted followers!**

**I'd especially like to thank CelesteIzaFanLolz. You're review was so sweet! It really inspired me to keep writing.**

**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	12. We never said it was Easy

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

When I wake up, I go dutifully back to my computer. Daisy is awake, eating some food, but she hasn't left her closet. Usually, when she's awake, she goes to the bigger room. I don't have long to wonder why she hasn't.

There's a boom of a cannon and I look to see who has died. The District 5 girl shows up on the list and I replay her death. She froze to death. There's a blizzard.

I feel so grateful that I sent everything to Daisy yesterday, because there's no way anything would get to her now.

The rest of the day is pretty awful. Daisy spends all her time in her closet wrapped in all her warm things. Quinton is wrapped in the few things he has. He looks miserable, but not too near dying.

The careers barely have anything. They left most of it at their camp, thinking they could walk outside and get it. Emerald seems to have claimed most of the warm things. The others are scrounging for the rest of the coats and things. The District 4 girl ends up freezing to death sometime during the day.

Other than that, most of the tributes have nothing. Just that day, six people die. The District 4 girl, the District 5 girl, the District 7 girl, the District 8 girl, the District 9 boy, and the District 12 girl. Only four careers, the District 3 boy, Quinton, and Daisy remain. The blizzard rages on.

**Sorry for the short chapter. Hope you liked it!**

**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	13. The Last Explosion

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

**Quick update right? The last chapter was just really short and I might not get to update again for a week or so. Enjoy!**

The blizzard has ended, but the entire arena is covered in soft, white snow. Daisy doesn't leave her closet and I don't blame her. Quinton doesn't seem to have enough layers, so he's been on the move since the blizzard ended.

The careers have been hunting. I watch them in their constant search for tributes, but honestly, the careers this year can't do anything. Emerald hogs all the warm clothes and the best watch shifts and the remaining food, so the others are weak pretty much all the time.

They haven't found anyone in days and I'm surprised the game makers haven't done anything to shake it up. They probably will soon. There will be a feast or mutts or something. Unless something else is about to happen.

The room starts to get blurry and I lay my head on the desk. I have dreams about mutts bursting into the mentor room, sent to the wrong place by accident. I have dreams that the careers find Daisy and kill her gruesomely, despite the lock on the closet door. Worst of all, I have dreams that Quinton becomes a career and hunts down Daisy by himself.

I awake suddenly and look at the screens. The career pack is moving briskly toward where I know Quinton was last hiding. "Come out you little weasel. I know you killed my district partner," Emerald says.

The career pack looks into the ruins of a building. Quinton jumps out and kills the District 2 boy. Quinton starts running as the cannon fires, but the career pack is too quick this time.

The District 4 boy grabs Quinton and pins him on the ground.

"So you're the one who killed my district partner, are you?" Emerald asks.

"No! I didn't do anything. I was framed! I was running away just now and _my_ district partner, Daisy, killed your friend. She framed me!" Quinton frantically reasons.

"That's who we forgot about. The District 11 girl. Funny, I haven't seen her since before the explosions," the District 2 girl says.

"We can hunt her down later. Right now, we've got somebody else to take care of," Emerald says, "Lila, Kino, one of you take care of him."

"I'd love to," Kino says.

Kino picks up a brick and slams it into Quinton's head. It would hurt me to watch if he hadn't framed Daisy. The brick is slammed against Quinton's head again and again. Finally, as a last act of justice, Quinton picks up his slingshot and slings one of his pebbles into his killer's gut.

The pebble lodges into Kino, beeps once, and blows both boys into the air. Two cannons fire.

Lila and Emerald look extremely frightened. They take off running.

"What should we do now?" Lila asks.

"Keep hunting, obviously. I don't think that Daisy girl really killed anybody, but we need to kill her anyway. And there's also that boy left from District 3," Emerald says.

"Let's go," Lila says.

They quickly find the District 3 boy and kill him.

"Where do you think Daisy is?" Lila asks.

"Probably hiding like the coward she is," Emerald sneers.

They lie down to rest.

**This was more of a Quinton chapter, but I hope you liked it.**

**-TheUglyDuckling492**


	14. Death Wish

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

A pack of bears with razors for fur run out of the cornucopia and into the arena. They come to the careers where Emerald sits watch.

She sees them coming and sprints away, closing herself into a nearby building.

Meanwhile, the bears tear Lila apart. When the cannon finally fires, Emerald has run through dozens of buildings and continues putting space between herself and the carnivorous bears.

Daisy is out examining the snow covered arena. She hears the cannon and rushes back inside, but Emerald ran far enough to see Daisy.

Emerald chases Daisy into the house. They end up in the closet with the door locked. They're wrestling with knives when the bears start scratching at the door, trying to break it down.

They wrestle for hours, the door starting to collapse in on itself. Daisy finally delivers the fatal blow and the cannon fires. Emerald is lying dead on top of her. The bears have gone, but the door is locked and the bears have broken everything too much to be able to unlock it. Daisy has blood pouring out of her.

Finally a hovercraft blows the roof off the building and pulls Daisy out.

Silvie comes in to get me and bring me to the tribute hospital. They patch her up and the bleeding stops. Luckily, that's the only injury she's gotten, so she doesn't take too long to heal.

"Are you okay?" I ask when they finally let me see her.

"I don't know if I'll ever be okay again," she sobs.

"Shh, every victor goes through this. You'll be able to live life again," I soothe her.

"Will I?"

"Everything won't be the same, but the people you loved will still be there. I'll help you through it."

"Maggie?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we be neighbors?"

I laugh, "Of course."

**Did you like it? That's the last chapter, I guess that wasn't much of a finally, but please review and I hope you liked the story.**

**Should I write a sequel? If I do, it'll be a while (I have an SYOT going), but leave your answer in the comments!**

**-Theuglyduckling492**


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